ROCHESTER — Jeff Lefkovich of Catholic Charities New Hampshire attempted Tuesday evening to “provide some facts … and dispel misconceptions” about a proposed development of 80 affordable homes in the city.
A number of Rochester residents attending a City Council meeting expressed concern that the project would house “illegal aliens” if it receives city permits for construction on Old Dover Road at the former site of a Rochester highway garage.
Lefkovich said people applying to live at The Residences at Riverside Park must be U.S. citizens with verifiable income. He said rental prices for the one- and two-bedroom apartments will be set so that residents do not have to spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and will be based on the average income in the local area when rentals starts. be in 2026.
Catholic Charities New Hampshire proposes to build The Residences at Riverside Park, an 80-unit affordable housing project on the site of the old highway garage in Rochester
Since Catholic Charities NH’s proposal recently went public, the Rochester community Facebook pages have recorded multiple conversations with local residents claiming that undocumented immigrants could move into the property, although no officials have stated that this would happen .
Catholic Charities NH has faced opposition in Rochester before
This isn’t the first time Catholic Charities NH has faced opposition to an affordable housing project in Rochester amid a national housing crisis. In 2022, the group scrapped a plan to build 180 affordable homes in the city’s Gonic neighborhood.
At the time, residents near the former Gonic Mill site spoke out against the project, saying they did not want low-income housing on a site the city had been trying to redevelop for more than two decades. They claimed the housing would lead to more crime and lower the value of their property, while placing an additional burden on police and schools.
Catholic Charities NH is responding to residents’ concerns
Lefkovich came to the city council meeting Tuesday night to present plans for the new 80-unit project. Prior to his presentation, concerns were raised during the public comment session.
“Can you assure us that there will be no illegal housing?” asked Carol Petrusewicz.
State Rep. Tom Kaczynski, R-Rochester, claimed that Catholic Charities is nationally known for “resettling illegal aliens,” called undocumented immigrants “criminals” and asked Lefkovich, “Will you guarantee that there will be no illegal aliens here?”
Mayor Paul Callaghan pointed out that Catholic Charities NH is not the same organization as other national groups with similar names.
Lefkovich, the executive director of real estate and housing development for Catholic Charities NH, agreed with the mayor and then explained the U.S. citizenship requirement for residents of his properties. He also mentioned its deep local connections.
“We run St. Charles School here in Rochester, St. Anne’s Health Center in Dover and the New Hampshire Food Bank,” he said. “We run a housing program for young mothers and children.”
The next step for the Catholic Charities project will be a formal application to the Planning Board.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Catholic Charities NH Refutes False Claims About Rochester Housing Plan
